Horton Bros.

Tracy Sheehan · From: Fort Worth, Texas, USA

Any one on here remember the Horton Bros.who played the Sky Lite Club in Compton,Ca.i believe it was.They also played on the Cals Coral tv show i think it was called.
sure would like to know what ever became of them.Tracy

LJ Eiffert · From: California, USA

That's all that matters to me,Twinkle fingers " Rosco " moved back to Louisiana. He's on my new CD " I'm A No Body ". On two songs from some old masters I did at Gold Star Recording Studio in Hollywood,California 30 years ago. I've heard he past away. I don't know about Sharon. Leo J.Eiffert,Jr.

Billy Tonnesen · From: R.I.P., Buena Park, California

I played for a while with the Horton Bros (Jerry and Clarence) at the Skylite. They were both highly religous and did not smoke or drink. We never could figure out how they justified playing in a dance hall. At the time I played for them they had bought out a gardening route and cut lawns etc. as their day job. You couldn't have been around nicer guys.

At that time the drummer was "Crazy Ray Johnson" who kept everybody cracked up. But that is a whole other story.

LJ Eiffert · From: California, USA

Hey Billy,Looks like we had to many Hortons in the Neighborhood.I think I picked the wrong one or was it Johnny? Did red head the guitarist Hank manzell from Texas pick with them at the sky lite? I remember when Linda & Marty was running the Club. LJ

Billy Tonnesen · From: R.I.P., Buena Park, California

Leo:.
Yes, Hank (Red) Manzell was playing lead guitar with me with the Hortons. What a terrific guitar player. This must have been around 1966. The Skylight was owned by Joe Sears and Ben Finley. They didn't have booths the customers sat at long picnic tables. The dance floor was really liked by the dancers, it had springs under the wood. In later years it became a dangerous neighborhood, ask Blackie Taylor when he was playing there.
One day the Horton's left and Sonny Thomas became the band leader. Do you remember Sonny? he could become a little wild at times.

LJ Eiffert · From: California, USA

Hey Billy,I've picked with " Sonny and Sammy Watson a bunch of time. You and all them guys were so kind to me when I was new in town & green off the wall as a Country Drummer. I'm so graceful and in my heart say my praryers and thank God everyday for all the memories I have from so many of you Musicans who let me in as a friend and family. Leo J.Eiffert,Jr.

Jerry Hayes · From: Virginia Beach, Va.

Billy, I never played with the Horton Brothers but I knew them slightly. I was working the Military base circuit with Martha Lou at the same time you were with Hank Manzell at the Skylite, but I was working the Skylite in the Sunday afternoon and Monday night band with a fiddle player named Johnny Rivas (pronounced Reeves), Marie Laswell (my ex-wife #2)on bass/vocals , Crazy Ray Johnson on drums, J.L. Jenkins (formerly of Johnny Lee Wills band) on standup steel guitar, and myself on lead. Johnny Rivas' wife also was a waitress at the club but I can't remember her name. Hank Manzell was a good friend of mine as was Sonny Thomas. I knew them from before the Skylite when they were at Henry's Lariet. Hank got fired from the lead guitar slot at the Lariet so they could bring in Amil Presson who was a lesser guitarist but a better singer. I know you remember, Sonny wasn't really that great a singer but he played a fair bass! As I remember, you were playing a Fender 1000 in those days...........JH in Va.
_________________
Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!!

Tracy Sheehan · From: Fort Worth, Texas, USA

Joe Casey · From: Weeki Wachee .Springs FL (population.9)

I hired a drummer out of Granada Miss named Tommy Horton for about 5 mos.along with Fellow Granadan Bobby Allen on Lead Guitar.That band had Peggy Green on Steel with Bob Suzor and Chuck Gokey rythm amd Bass. Tommy I'm told is no longer with us. Great drummer.

Jerry Hayes · From: Virginia Beach, Va.

Billy, the first time I ever played the Skylite was as a fill in for someone else (can't remember who) but the notorious "Crazy" Ray Johnson was on drums then. About the only thing I remember about the gig was we were doing a pretty ballad of some sort and I was taking my guitar ride when out of nowhere, Crazy Ray threw a couple of rubber chickens at me. One landed in front of me and the other on my shoulder. Scared the dookey right outa me.......

Do you remember when Bud Issacs was working the Skylite? Not only did he play well but that's when I first found out that he was also a great vocalist.

About the time the Skylite was on it's last legs I did a short stint on steel with a guy named Jimmy Wooley. Do you remember him? He played lead guitar on a Gibson Byrdland and even "chicken picked" on the thing. They were down to four nights a week at that time I think. That was a great old "barn" to pick in....

I remember a black haired old lady who used to come in there named "Carmela Templett". She was the sister of the old time bandleader Russ Columbo.....JH in Va.
_________________
Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!!

Billy Tonnesen · From: R.I.P., Buena Park, California

Jerry: Crazy Ray had his box behind the drums filled with differen't props for his comedy routines.
Did you know Ray had a brother who was vice-president of personnel at Douglas Aircraft in Long Beach. Ray could have had a cushy job there but wanted no part of it.
I also saw Bud Isaacs at the Skylite but don't remember the band. He played nothing like his "Slowly" but was playing almost a jazz style. Yes, he was an excellent singer
If the lady black was the one I am thinking of she must have been 70 years old but if you only saw her from the back she had an hour-g;ass fingure of a young woman.
The heyday of the Skylite was when Johnny Reeves had about an eight piece Western Swing band with some excellent players. I can't remember the lead guitar player's name but he was on par with Jimmy Wyble.

Jack Harper · From: Mississippi, USA

joe, ....it's a small world after all..........
i know bobby allen, he's still kickin'
and chickin' pickin'
see 'im all the time.
no honky tonkin' though......

country jack

Jerry Hayes · From: Virginia Beach, Va.

Billy, I replaced a guitar player in Johnny's band who'd played with him off and on for years. He was a bit older than me and played a Gibson Les Paul. I remember his first name was Bob but I can't remember his last name. He was very good at swing and big band tunes and seemed to be a very good improvisor as I remember.

Working with Johnny Reeves was a very good thing for me as I'd been mostly used to three chord country and rock & roll before I played for him. With J.L. Jenkins on steel who'd been with Johnny Lee Wills and Johnny Reeves it was a real lesson in how to play parts. I did that off night gig with him for over a year and it was a lot of fun. I remember that Johnny had played a lot of his previous gigs with "horn" bands so he played fiddle in sharps and flats very well. When we'd have a request for "Maiden's Prayer" he'd do it in Eb. We did a three part thing of "Perdido" in Bb with Johnny taking the lead and J.L. and I doing the harmonies. I'd love to be able to play some of that stuff again.......JH in Va.
_________________
Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!!

Joe Casey · From: Weeki Wachee .Springs FL (population.9)

Jack, I am glad to hear Bobby is doing well. When they left the band to return home Bobby was dating Sheb Wooleys daughter. I often wondered how that turned out. Great singer along with being a good picker. I was also told by someone that he followed his father into preaching. I wish him the best.

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